Adjustable shell thickness

High density

Achieve part densities of up to 98 percent - similar to cast parts - through the use of high metal volume fraction media, high-pressure extrusion, and vacuum sintering at temperatures of up to 1400ºC.

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_Benefits

[02]

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Easy to use

Designed to simplify the otherwise complicated powder metallurgy process, the Studio System™ makes 3D printing metal parts as easy as uploading a design and pressing print. No guesswork or calculations are needed - you design your part, and Desktop Metal’s secure, web-based software does the rest.

Separable Supports

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The Studio System™ prints a Ceramic Release Layer between the part and its support structure. In the furnace, the binder in this layer resists sintering, transforming the Ceramic Release Layer into a powder and enabling Separable Supports, which can be easily removed by hand. Compared to traditional laser-based 3D printing processes, Separable Supports eliminates hours of post-processing, and avoids the need for wire EDM or other industrial equipment to cut away support structures.

Under 1-minute material changes

Change materials in under a minute with quick-release printheads and push-to-release cartridges. Unlike powder-based 3D printing systems, which require equipment cleaning, materials on the Studio System™ can be swapped in under a minute without cross-contamination between alloys.

Software controlled workflow

Fabricate, Desktop Metal’s 3D printing software, orients parts for success throughout printing, debinding, and sintering—applying expert metallurgy to automate the entire process. With the Studio System™, there is no need to weigh parts or make manual calculations—simply upload your part and follow the onboard UI for step-by-step guidance.

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_Benefits

[03]

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Designed for the office

The Studio System™ was designed from the ground-up to seamlessly integrate 3D printing into an engineer’s workflow. By eliminating lasers and loose metal powders, the system is easy to use in your team’s work environment—no third-party equipment or special facilities required.

No loose powders

Inspired by metal injection molding, the Studio System™ uses materials that consist of a mixture of metal powder and polymer binder - no loose metal powers are used, making the process safe for the office. No special facilities or respiratory PPE needed.

Print from your desk

The easy-to-use design of the Studio System™ allows you to regain ownership of your prototyping pipeline with 3D printing. Entire engineering or design teams can use it to iterate on designs quickly, and monitor the process from within Fabricate to track the completion of your builds.

No special facilities requirement

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Designed to fit through an office door, the Studio System™ does not require the construction of special facilities before operation, making it easy to start 3D printing metal parts.

Prep

Secure, web-based software constructs build plans from STL or CAD files, automatically generating supports and control parameters based on part geometry and material.

— 02

Print

Layer by layer, a green part is 3D printed by extruding bound metal rods—metal powder held together by wax and polymer binders—in a process called Bound Metal Deposition™.

— 03

Debind

The green part is immersed in proprietary debind fluid, dissolving primary binder and creating an open-pore channel structure throughout the part in preparation for sintering.

— 04

Sinter

As the part is heated to temperatures near melting, the remaining binder is removed and metal particles fuse together causing the part to densify up to 96-99.8%

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System overview

— 01

Printer

Unlike laser-based 3D printing systems that selectively melt metal powder, the Studio System™ extrudes bound metal rods—similar to how an FDM printer works. This eliminates the safety requirements often associated with metal 3D printing while enabling new features like the use of closed-cell infill for lightweight strength.

Printer

Printer

Unlike laser-based 3D printing systems that selectively melt metal powder, the Studio System™ extrudes bound metal rods—similar to how an FDM printer works. This eliminates the safety requirements often associated with metal 3D printing while enabling new features like the use of closed-cell infill for lightweight strength.

Debinder

The debinder prepares green 3d printed parts for sintering by dissolving primary binder. With a low emission design, it requires no external ventilation and is safe for an office environment. Automatic fluid distillation and recycling eliminates the need to refill between each cycle.

Debinder

Debinder

The debinder prepares green 3d printed parts for sintering by dissolving primary binder. With a low emission design, it requires no external ventilation and is safe for an office environment. Automatic fluid distillation and recycling eliminates the need to refill between each cycle.

Furnace

Fully-automated and sized to fit through an office door, the furnace delivers industrial-strength sintering in an office-friendly package. Built-in temperature profiles tuned to every build and material ensure uniform heating and cooling without the residual stresses introduced in laser-based 3d printing systems

Furnace

Furnace

Fully-automated and sized to fit through an office door, the furnace delivers industrial-strength sintering in an office-friendly package. Built-in temperature profiles tuned to every build and material ensure uniform heating and cooling without the residual stresses introduced in laser-based 3d printing systems

Built to scale, Studio Fleet can be configured to deliver 5x the throughput of the original three-part system for only twice the capital investment.

Common ScenariosLow volume production of custom partsAftermarket or replacement partsPilot runs prior to mass production

Extruder Nozzle

Used to mix two dense ceramic slurries, the nozzle directs flow and defines the shape of extrusion. The application requires a complex loft design and relatively low quantity. Given the strength, stiffness and thermal resistance requirements, the extruder nozzle must be made of metal.

In-house metal 3D printing is up to four times faster and 90% cheaper than CNC machining or selective laser melting (SLM). And instead of extrusion honing, parts are easily sanded in the green state to achieve critical surface finish on the nozzle interior.

System

Parts Per Week

Parts Per Month

Parts Per Year

Studio System

6

26

96

Studio Fleet (3x)

18

78

312

Studio Fleet (5x)

30

130

1,560

Lathe Gear

The custom gear is designed for a vintage lathe that is no longer in production. Due to frequent use and high loads, the part is susceptible to wear. To machine this gear at volume via broaching or hobbing is prohibitively costly and time-consuming, resulting in longer downtime until the replacement gear is available.

In order to meet strength and stiffness requirements, the lathe gear must be made of metal. In-house metal 3D printing with a custom hardware configuration expedites the production of replacement gears at a significant reduction in cost-per-part.

Rook Chess Piece

316L

One of six types of movable objects used in the game of chess.

Rook Chess Piece

Size (mm)46 x 46 x 72

Cost to print ($)46.00

Cost to machine ($)329.67

Cost reduction52.68%

Unique chess piece designs can easily be 3D printed without the long lead times and costs associated with tooling. The Studio System’s high resolution print head produces small parts with fine features and surface finish.

YE6 Burner Tip

316L

This burner tip is used to shape the flame in industrial burners.

YE6 Burner Tip

Size (mm)139 x 139 x 86

Cost to print ($)193.46

Cost to machine ($)694.00

Cost reduction72.00%

This burner tip was originally cast in the 1950s, and the tooling has since been lost for it. When a customer needed a replacement, the quote for new tooling was in the tens of thousands of dollars.

With the Studio System, the company was able to recreate the part with properties similar to the original cast part, with no tooling cost or long lead times for the customer.

Putter

17-4 PH

Custom designed golf putter is an example of the customization that is possible with 3D printing.

The Studio System allows for customization of parts like putters, so each player can have a design that is best suited to them. And when those designs go into mass production, they can be manufactured via binder jetting.

Flower Nozzle

316L

This flower nozzle is used to atomize fluid in industrial equipment.

Flower Nozzle

Size (mm)123 x 123 x 45

Cost to print ($)184.00

Due to its complex geometry, these parts would typically be cast followed by extensive secondary machining. With the Studio System, the nozzle can be 3D printed without the lead times and setup costs of casting, enabling one-off and small batch orders.

Impeller

316L

This impeller is used to control the pressure and flow of fluids in equipment like pumps and compressors.

Impeller

Size (mm)82 x 82 x 28

Cost to print ($)63.00

Cost to machine ($)2138.00

Cost reduction97.05%

Their complex vanes make impellers expensive and difficult to manufacture. When a custom impeller is needed metal 3D printing accelerates design optimization and product development by dramatically reducing lead time and cost.

Sheet Metal Embosser

4140

This custom embosser is used in sheet metal fabrication.

Sheet Metal Embosser

Size (mm)47 x 28 x 15

Cost to print ($)14.00

Sheet metal tools are used for a broad range of fabrication operations, including stamping, bending, countersinking and embossing.

3D printing with the Studio System reduces tool fabrication costs, shortens production run lead time, and enables rapid iteration and refinement of the sheet metal designs and associated tooling.

Zipper Mold

H13

This part is an Injection mold insert for manufacturing zinc zippers.

Zipper Mold

Size (mm)46 x 27 x 18

Cost to print ($)16.00

3D printing the mold inserts shortens production run lead time and allows rapid iteration and refinement of zipper designs. Using a high resolution printhead allows for smaller parts with finer features, requiring less post processing.

Skateboard Truck

17-4 PH

This part attaches wheels to a skateboard deck, and was optimized using generative design tools

Skateboard Truck

Size (mm)201 x 76 x 52

Cost to print ($)161.00

Cost to DMLS ($)1163.00

Cost reduction86.00%

Generative design and 3D printing allows for the fabrication of innovative designs impossible with casting (the traditional production method for skateboard trucks).

The Studio System can print that previously impossible geometry, resulting in trucks that are more aesthetically pleasing, stronger, and lighter.

Master Drilling Sun Gear

17-4 PH

This part is a sun gear used in a planetary gearbox for an earth-drilling machine.

Master Drilling Sun Gear

Size (mm)118 x 118 x 118

Cost to print ($)658.00

Cost to machine ($)916.00

Cost reduction28.17%

After exploring a number of alternative manufacturing methods to produce the parts needed to keep crucial machinery up and running, Master Drilling chose 3D printing. The switch to 3D printing cut their lead time for replacement parts from about three months for off-shore castings, to just three weeks printing on-site, thereby reducing downtime for the earth drilling equipment.

Because cooling accounts for 95% of the mold cycle time, the ability to incorporate conformal cooling channels into the mold can reduce mold cycle time and increase throughput.

UMC End Effectors

17-4 PH

These grippers are used to fixture and move aerospace forgings on a manufacturing line.

UMC End Effectors

Size (mm)55 x 32 x 16

Cost to print ($)23.00

Cost to machine ($)194.00

Cost reduction88.14%

The complex geometry of end effectors requires extensive CNC machining, resulting in long lead times that occupy valuable CNC capacity. Using metal 3D printing allows for on-demand manufacturing of custom end effectors while lowering part cost and lead time.

APG Thread Checker Fixture

17-4 PH

This fixture pushes a thread checker into a part on a manufacturing line.

APG Thread Checker Fixture

Size (mm)47 x 28 x 15

Cost to print ($)14.00

This fixture pushes a thread checker into a part on a manufacturing line. As a wear item, it needs to stand up to repeated use, and must be easily produced to keep the manufacturing line up.

The fixture must be regularly replaced as it wears out. Printing the part with the Studio System eliminates CNC lead time and frees up the machine shop for more critical work.

BattleBots Bot Support

17-4 PH

This part is a structural member for use in the bot's robotic arm.

BattleBots Bot Support

Size (mm)130 x 117 x 64

Cost to print ($)106.00

Cost to machine ($)551.90

Cost reduction81.00%

This support is designed to carry a heavy load and withstand punishment. Engineers working on a bot used on a Discovery Channel program BattleBots had less than a month to produce a custom structural element on robotic arm. Using the Studio system, they were able to print a bracket capable of resisting bending and lateral motion while providing the stiffness, strength, weldability and fire resistance required.

APG Chuck Jaws

H13

This part is used to hold a workpiece in place during machining lathe operations.

APG Chuck Jaws

Size (mm)84 x 78 x 42

Cost to print ($)117.00

Cost to machine ($)426.36

Cost reduction72.56%

These chuck jaws closely match the geometry of the part being machined - making them complex to machine. Printing them using the Studio System eliminates CNC lead time and frees up the machine shop for more critical work.

O-Ring End Effector

17-4 PH

This end effector is used to stretch and install O-rings on a hydraulic fitting.

O-Ring End Effector

Size (mm)42 x 13 x 17

Cost to print ($)7.00

Cost to machine ($)152.17

Cost reduction95.40%

Small, detailed parts like these end effectors typically require expensive CNC machining and have long lead times. Using the Studio System’s high resolution (250μm) printhead allows manufacturers to print small parts with fine features which would be difficult to machine

APG Coining Fixture

H13

This fixture is used to achieve critical tolerances on metal injection molded (MIM) parts.

APG Coining Fixture

Size (mm)110 x 57 x 31

Cost to print ($)92.00

Cost to machine ($)392.00

Cost reduction75.63%

Fixture like this require custom geometry for each application, as well as superior wear resistance. The faster these parts are manufactured, the quicker a company can get get manufacturing lines running.

Printing these parts with the Studio System eliminates CNC lead time and frees up the machine shop for more critical work.

Helical Heat Exchanger

Copper

Used in chemical processing to cool a hot gas as it flows through a pipe.

Helical Heat Exchanger

Size (mm)78 x 64 x 58

Cost to print ($)443.00

Cost to machine ($)2138.00

Cost reduction79.28%

This heat exchanger enables a much higher heat transfer rate than a traditionally manufactured part. Featuring thin external fins and a complex, internal helical cooling channel, this exchanger would not be manufacturable as one component via CNC machining.

The Studio System allows for the complex geometry of the heat exchanger to easily be printed as a single component.

UHT Atomizer

316L

This part is a fuel atomizer for a steam boiler on a liquid natural gas (LNG) tanker.

UHT Atomizer

Size (mm)74 x 74 x 71

Cost to print ($)129.00

Cost to DMLS ($)1089.00

Cost reduction88.00%

This 3D printed atomizer features complex internal channels and oblong shaped holes, which could not be manufactured with traditional methods. With the Studio System, the engineers were able to radically redesign their conventional atomizers for significantly better performance.

Octopus Ring

316L

Example of the unique jewelry that can be customized and scaled for a tailored fit.

Octopus Ring

Size (mm)38 x 38 x 30

Cost to print ($)14.00

Unique jewelry pieces can be 3D printed without the design lock-in, long lead times and costs associated with tooling. The Studio System’s high resolution print head produces small parts with fine features and surface finish.

Lathe Gear

17-4 PH

This part is a replacement gear for vintage (circa 1940) lathe.

Lathe Gear

Size (mm)82 x 82 x 27

Cost to print ($)58.00

Cost to machine ($)260.67

Savings vs. machining77.70%

In some cases, replacement parts are no longer available, either off the shelf or from the OEM. Fabricating custom gears via hobbing and broaching is often prohibitively expensive, but metal 3D printing allows for the fabrication of legacy parts at much lower cost.

Tri Manifold

Alloy 625

This manifold is used to combine three flows into one common flow.

Tri Manifold

Size (mm)108 x 101 x 98

Cost to print ($)906.00

Cost to DMLS ($)4069.28

Savings vs. machining77.74%

This part converges three flow paths into one via internal channels. These channels would be impossible to machine, and instead would need to be drilled as straight holes and plugged.

Printing on the Studio System allows these channels to be designed for their function rather than their manufacturing method. This part can be produced in just a few days with very little hands on work.

Generative Piston Head

4140

Prototype piston head for a reciprocating engine, optimized with generative design.

Generative Piston Head

Size (mm)105 x 105 x 54

Cost to print ($)271.00

Cost to machine ($)568.13

Savings vs. machining52.30%

Typically CNC machined from aluminum alloy, pistons can be time consuming and difficult to rapidly prototype and test - often taking months or even years to move from design to production.

With the Studio System, various piston designs can be easily prototyped and tested—speeding up product development timelines, reducing time to market, and introducing new opportunities for optimization, including generative design—all while avoiding CNC backlog and lead times.

Pump Housing

17-4 PH

This is part of the housing for a hydraulic pump.

Pump Housing

Size (mm)136 x 131 x 47

Cost to print ($)243.00

Cost to machine ($)708.68

Savings vs. machining65.68%

This part would typically be cast, followed by secondary machining operations - resulting in long lead times and high costs.

By printing on the Studio System, the long lead time associated with casting can be avoided, and the cost to machine from scratch is greatly reduced - allowing the manufacturer to produce the part in-house and enabling cost-effective rapid design iteration and pilot runs.

Guitar tailpiece

17-4 PH

The guitar tailpiece anchors one end of the guitar strings.

Guitar tailpiece

Size (mm)127 x 28 x 20

Cost to print ($)36.00

Cost to machine ($)343.28

Savings vs. machining89.51%

The guitar tailpiece is typically cast from aluminum, and can be fairly expensive to customize for short manufacturing runs.

Printing in steel allows design freedom and part customization while eliminating tooling costs. Steel tailpieces also exhibit more pleasing resonance and sustain characteristics for some genres and playing styles.

Cuff Ring

316L

Example of the unique jewelry that can be customized and scaled for a tailored fit.

Cuff Ring

Size (mm)59 x 54 x 80

Cost to print ($)43.00

Unique jewelry pieces can be 3D printed without the design lock-in, long lead times and costs associated with tooling. The Studio System’s high resolution print head produces small parts with fine features and surface finish.

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Applications by Industry

_Industries

Explore applications for 3D printing across a range of industries.

Automotive

For automotive manufacturers, 3D printing opens new opportunities for rapid prototyping, creating parts with more complexity than ever before, identifying opportunities for assembly consolidation and exploring new business models centered around on-demand production.

Consumer Goods

Manufacturers of consumer goods can use 3D printing for rapid prototyping and testing of new designs for both functionality and market feedback, and as a flexible manufacturing line for low-volume and regionally-targeted production that allows greater design freedom for product customization.

Education

By investing in 3D printing, educational institutions provide students the tools to bring their work to life, help them build important career skills and enable them to act as additive manufacturing champions when they enter the workforce.

Machine Design

Using 3D printing, machine designers can print and test multiple part variations, create geometry that cannot be machined, consolidate large assemblies into fewer parts and reduce warehousing costs by printing custom parts on demand.

Manufacturing Tooling

For companies that produce manufacturing tooling, 3D printing can be an invaluable resource, allowing them to quickly and inexpensively produce complex, custom tooling and easily replace tools when needed, reducing downtime on manufacturing lines.